No, the British aversion to foreign languages isnt charming

How many Londoners would immediately understand this sentence on their morning commutes? I would wager not many.

Certainly, if the English equivalent were written in Der Spiegel, la Repubblica, or Aftonbladet, the majority of German, Italian, or Swedish readers would have no problem telling you what it meant.

The common perception that the British are growing increasingly disinclined to learn languages other than their native tongue is borne out in the statistics – research conducted by the BBC in February revealed that learning of German and French had dropped by half in British schools since 2013.

A typical response to this accusation, heard from bars in the Costa Del Sol to expat cricket clubs, is: “If everyone speaks my language, what good is learning theirs?”

Englishs ubiquity is unlike that of any language in human history.

Thanks in particular to Americas influence, the English language dominates music, television, academic research, politics, and the professional realm (including in meetings at my own company, situated in the heart of Berlin).

English is nigh inescapable. Brits abroad who attempt foreign languages are often met with faultless responses in English – or worse.

Just look at what happened to the UK foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt last week. Having tweeted in French, Hunt was publicly accused by Frances Washington envoy of speaking like “a schoolboy”.

Such a reaction from the French diplomat, and correspondingly the media, is immensely frustrating, as it will only deter other Brits from engaging with languages.

Hunt is one of the few high-profile UK politicians who really makes an effort with foreign languages, and his keenness should be encouraged, not mocked.

Categories

Tags

The Current Affairs Online UK

The Current Affairs Online is UK based news website interested in the UK and European affairs, economy, politics and trade. The website relies on Rss Feed from other UK and European news agencies plus articles and opinions written by our columnists and reporters. The website offers PR services for companies and news websites.